Whispers
by Spunky0ne
Summary: After Renji is attacked and sexually assaulted, Byakuya uncovers a connection to a rival noble clan that threatens to touch off a war between clans, with Renji caught in the middle...mpreg, angst.
1. The Promise

**Whispers**

**By Spunky0ne**

_**(AN**This is an idea that kept getting in the way of my muse until I couldn't stand it anymore. Warning…contains references to non-con sex and the aftermath in the beginning.)**_

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: The Promise**

Byakuya looked into his dressing area mirror and slowly wound the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu around his throat, then stepped back and examined himself to make sure everything was as it should be. Seeing nothing missing or out of place, he turned out of the dressing room, crossed his bedroom and walked out into the gardens. Rukia was already at the breakfast table, causing him to remember suddenly that she was going to the living world on assignment. She looked up and smiled as he sat down at the table.

"Good morning, Nii-sama," she said, "I hope you are well this morning."

It was the same greeting she had given him every day since he had taken her into the family.

"Good morning, Rukia," he said, nodding and accepting a cup of tea from an attendant, "I trust you are ready for your assignment?"

"Yes, Nii-sama," Rukia answered, "I have to leave right after breakfast."

A worried look crossed her face and Byakuya frowned thoughtfully.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Well," Rukia said haltingly, "Nii-sama…I was supposed to meet Renji last night and he never showed up here."

"Hmmm," Byakuya said, thinking, "That is odd, because I excused him early so that the two of you would be able to visit before you left."

"You did?" Rukia asked, looking surprised, "That was very…nice of you, Nii-sama,"

"I was not being nice," the noble countered, "Abarai fukutaichou finished all of his work early, so I felt it was right to grant his request."

Rukia chuckled softly.

"Well, thank you anyway, Nii-sama. Anyway, I wanted to go and see him this morning and I sent a hell butterfly, but he's not answering. So…I was wondering…"

"You would like me to summon Renji and…give him a message?" Byakuya asked meaningfully.

"Would you, Nii-sama?" Rukia asked, looking so hopeful that Byakuya couldn't help but nod an affirmative.

"Thank you so much, Nii-sama!" Rukia said, jumping up and bowing in gratitude, "He _has_ to respond if _you_ summon him!"

"Yes," agreed Byakuya, "I do have something I wish to discuss with him anyway, but I will tell him you said goodbye."

"Again, thank you," Rukia said, smiling, "Well, I'm off, Nii-sama."

"I know you will complete your mission successfully and bring pride to our family. Do proceed with due caution. Ukitake taichou shared the information about the mission in our taichou's meeting and you will be in the territory of some tough hollows."

"I will be careful…and I will make you proud, Nii-sama," Rukia promised, then she flash stepped away.

Byakuya was surprised at how keenly he felt her departure, but that had been happening more and more often since her mission with Kurosaki Ichigo to save Inoue Orihime and to defeat Aizen's plans. There was still significant danger in the current missions to Hueco Mundo and he actually hated the thought of her going there, but since he had opened the proverbial 'can of worms' by authorizing Ukitake taichou to promote her as he saw fit, in light of her performance in Hueco Mundo, he couldn't demean her by standing in her way of doing the duties assigned to her. She had deserved the promotion, in any case, and it would have been too obvious he was holding her back if he did not agree to it. So really, he had been cornered. In any event, it was done and there was no taking it back.

He turned his attention instead to his fukutaichou's odd reaction to his commendation and recommendation for advancement.

_"Taichou, I am grateful, of course for the commendation and the chance to advance, but I must decline the invitation to take the taichou's exam and promote."_

Repeated discussions had yet to yield any information as to why, so Byakuya was left to wonder. He knew, of course, that Renji had a longstanding desire to surpass him, and although that mission had changed in that his fukutaichou sought his goal in a more respectful way, he still held it as a goal. It felt wrong that Renji would let something like that keep him from advancing, but then, the redhead had his own way of thinking. It wasn't for Byakuya to make the decision for him, and out of respect, he wouldn't try.

Byakuya shook his head and put the thought out of his mind. It did no good to dwell on it, as Renji had already declined the invitation. There was really not anything he could do about it. But he had been planning to talk to Renji to make sure that the next time he was offered advancement, he would promote.

Byakuya summoned a hell butterfly.

"Renji," he said quietly, "Please report to Kuchiki Manor as soon as possible to meet to me regarding several important matters."

He sent the butterfly winging away and set off on his way around the gardens. It being a day off, he was free to roam the gardens or walk out to the waterfall to relax beneath the sakura trees that grew there. He made a plan to indulge in both while he waited for Renji to arrive.

After a long walk through the gardens and a leisurely cup of green tea, he was frustrated to notice that Renji had neither arrived, nor returned his message. He sighed in frustration and opted to change tactics. He used his reiatsu to seek Renji's, but found that he could barely sense the redhead. Surprisingly, although it was a day off for both of them, he seemed to be at the sixth division and concealing his reiatsu.

"Hmmm…" the noble mused.

He left the gardens and walked out Kuchiki Manor and into the busy streets. As he walked, he wondered what would cause Renji to act so strangely…and not just to refuse to respond to his taichou's message, but to miss seeing Rukia before she left on her first mission to Hueco Mundo as a fukutaichou.

Truth be told, he was relatively certain that the Renji he knew, wouldn't neglect either of those things. And that made him flash step a bit faster and avoid people he would have greeted politely, had he not felt such urgency. He reached the division headquarters and found the front door locked.

Upon entering the office, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but a closer examination of Renji's desk revealed an odd smear of blood, as though it had been on his hand and he had leaned on the desk as he passed it, on his way to his quarters. He found a few more blood spatters on the floor and wondered if the redhead had been sparring with Ikkaku, as he sometimes liked to, and perhaps had gotten beat up and a little drunk on the liquor that Ikakku always carried around. But he had warned Renji once before about coming to work drunk, and the redhead had never repeated the offense. It seemed odd that he would choose now to revert to that. Byakuya could think of no time recently that he had seen Renji depressed of angry. To the contrary, Aizen's capture had , if anything, made him harbor higher spirits. He couldn't think of any reason Renji would be depressed.

He moved out of the main office and into the hallway, listening for any odd noises coming from Renji's quarters. He still felt the slight touch of familiar reiatsu beneath the concealing kido. It might fool others, but Byakuya was powerful, and he had the added advantage of being Renji's taichou. So no concealing Renji could do would hide him from Byakuya.

The noble paused outside the redhead's door and listened. He thought he might have heard a soft groan, and he knocked, but there was no response. He knocked again and called out to his fukutaichou, but again received no response. Feeling that he had no other choice, Byakuya used a quick kido spell on the lock and the door popped open.

Byakuya opened the door slightly and said Renji's name again, but heard no response. He peeked around the partially opened door and caught his breath in surprise. Renji lay huddled in the middle of the floor, collapsed in a half-dressed heap with blood leaking from several places.

"Renji!" Byakuya exclaimed softly, dropping to his knees next to the redhead and quickly examining him.

He noticed immediately, the odd variance in Renji's reiatsu, indicating he had been drugged. It also made more sense that he hadn't responded to anything. If he wasn't cognizant, then he couldn't exactly respond. There were defensive cuts and bruises, as though he had been fighting someone who was holding him down. He caught his breath softly as he moved down the redhead's body, still looking for signs of damage, and found that his hakama had been hastily pulled up and improperly tied. And there was blood leaking through the fabric from between Renji's thighs.

Shaking his head, Byakuya started to lift the injured man to take him to the fourth divison, but as he did, Renji's eyes opened and met his dizzily.

"T-tai…chou," he mumbled, "Wh-wha? How did you…? Why are you here?"

"Be quiet, Abarai," Byakuya said calmly, "You have been injured. I am taking you to the fourth division for treatment."

Renji groaned and reached for his midsection. He said nothing more as Byakuya lifted him and started to carry him towards the door.

"Where are we goin' Taichou?" he mumbled.

"To the fourth divison," Byakuya answered quietly.

He was completely unprepared when the redhead reared up in his arms and twisted so that Byakuya simply dropped him. The redhead's body thumped to the floor and he made a deep, guttural exclamation of pain.

"N-no!" he groaned fitfully as Byakuya tried to collect him again.

"What do mean, no?" the noble asked, "You have been badly injured, Renji. You need a healer."

"NO!" the redhead shouted, tearing away and looking back at his taichou with oddly wild eyes, "You can't take me there, Taichou! Please…"

Byakuya frowned and his eyes widened.

"Renji…"

Renji's eyes met his pleadingly.

"Taichou, please listen to me. I don't…know. I mean, I know what happened, but I don't remember anything!"

"You were drugged, Renji," Byakuya told him, "I sensed it in your reiatsu when I found you. You have to…"

"NO!" the redhead shouted, drowning him out and making himself double over in pain. Byakuya moved forward and dropped to his knees in front of him, meeting his eyes quietly in the darkness of the room. Renji's chest heaved softly as he caught his breath and went on, his voice choked with emotion.

"T-taichou, you _know_ it will get around, and I…I don't want to have everyone know about it. You know what they'll think! You know!"

And thinking it through, Byakuya realized that Renji was right. Although there was certainly a protocol for the treatment of officers who suffered sexual assault, everyone knew stories of those who actually reported the crime…

"You do not have to go to the fourth division," Byakuya said finally, "but you will come with me now to Urahara Kisuke's shop. It is late and likely no one will see us arrive there."

"Okay," Renji sighed, sagging and almost falling before Byakuya moved forward and caught him, "But can I have a shower first? I want to…"

"No," Byakuya said firmly, but gently, "because if we are going to find out who did this to you, then we need to preserve evidence."

He paused as he realized that Renji was staring at him incredulously.

"What is it, Abarai?" he asked, blinking.

"Well," Renji said softly, "It's just that…you said…you said 'we.' Like…you were planning to help or something."

Byakuya met his eyes with unusual warmth.

"You are my fukutaichou and someone attacked you," he said simply.

He set Renji's uniform back in order and retied the belt at his waist. Renji stared down at Byakuya's hands as they worked, then looked up at him with gratitude in the heartbreakingly devastated eyes.

"Thanks, Taichou," he said softly, "Really, I mean it. You know, if you don't want to involve yourself…"

"Nonsense. As I said before, you are my fukutaichou…and you are also my sister's best friend. I will take you to Karakura Town and we will deal with this together."

"But…how? I mean, I don't remember what happened. If I don't remember what happened, then what can we do?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"Do not worry about that. We will deal with that when we reach Urahara-san's shop. Come, Renji."

He opened a private senkaimon, so that there would be no military record of Renji traveling there, then the two stepped into the precipice world and began traversing the distance to the shop. As they walked, Byakuya noticed the discomfort in Renji's step, and the way he winced every so often.

"Are you all right to walk?" Byakuya asked.

"I'll be okay, I think," Renji said, "Walking is just, sorta painful right now."

"That is understandable," Byakuya answered, "I can carry you if you prefer."

Renji gave a sad half-hearted chuckle.

"Yeah…well, I would, but, I think I want to hang on to what little dignity I have left."

Byakuya didn't know what to say, so he simply kept walking and gently urging Renji on. But a moment later, a sob escaped the redhead and he dropped to his knees.

"I'm sorry, Taichou," he moaned softly, "It's just…fuck, this hurts. It really fucking…hurts."

Byakuya looked down at the pained expression, the fury and discomfort in the lovely brown eyes and felt an ache inside. He approached Renji slowly and looked down at him in silence for a moment. Renji sniffed softly and brushed a tear away from his eyes. He got the surprise of his life as Byakuya moved closer and simply lifted the injured redhead into his arms. Renji tensed, ready to struggle, but was stopped and left breathless by his taichou's next words.

"Renji, please hold still. Let me take care of you."

Renji stared into the dark gray eyes of his taichou and found only concern there, not admonishment or criticism or anything like what he expected. That fact calmed him inside, and Renji relaxed in the noble's arms and let himself be carried through the precipice world and into Karakura Town. Byakuya dropped down into a park, then turned and flash stepped towards the shop. Renji was grateful for the fact that it was dark in Karakura Town and no one seemed to be around. He only hoped that Ururu and Jinta would have gone to bed when he arrived.

Renji gave a soft sigh of relief when Kisuke and Ichigo answered the door, both dressed in sleeping yukatas and yawning intermittently.

"Renji!" Ichigo said, his eyes widening as they took in the sight of the battered redhead, "What happened?"

Byakuya let Renji down onto his feet.

"Abarai fukutaichou was attacked," Byakuya stated carefully, "and he was not comfortable seeiking treatment in the Seireitei. I would consider it a personal favor if you were to examine him and to collect possible evidence so that we might pursue the one who committed this crime."

"Ah…I see," said Urahara, nodding, "Come this way. Ichigo will make us some tea while I see to Renji. Kuchiki taichou, you can stay with Ichi…"

"No," Renji said suddenly, his eyes filling with pain again, "I want Taichou with me."

Byakuya looked up at him in surprise.

"You…want _me_ with you?" he repeated uncertainly.

"Y-yeah…if that's okay."

"Of course," Byakuya answered, "If that is what you want."

"Yeah," Renji said, blinking and sniffing softly, "I feel kinda sick."

"That's to be expected," Kisuke said bracingly, "Come with me, now."

He led Byakuya and a reluctant looking Renji down the hallway and into one of the bedrooms, where he instructed Renji to undress in the bathroom and to leave his clothes there.

"Don't shower or anything yet. I need to examine you first."

Renji nodded briefly and went into the bathroom, leaving Kisuke and Byakuya alone for a moment.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Kisuke asked softly.

"There was quite a bit of blood," Byakuya noted, "and signs of defensive wounds."

"He put up a good fight."

"Yes, but he was drugged and…"

"Yeah, I got that," Kisuke said, "And I know why you came to me. Don't worry, Kuchiki taichou, I will take good care of him. And no one will hear about this from me."

"Arigato," Byakuya said softly.

"No problem," Kisuke said as Renji returned, dressed in the yukata.

Kisuke directed Renji to lie down, then leaned over him.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked.

As Renji opened his mouth to answer, the shopkeeper sent a shock of kido through him, sending him off to sleep.

"I'll ask questions when he wakes," the shopkeeper told Byakuya, "But I didn't want him to be uncomfortable. And I wanted to ask you to be sure. Are you sure you don't want to go to the fourth division?"

"Renji wants to avoid this getting around. We figured that you would be discreet."

"And I will."

He went silent as he turned his attention to the unconscious man on the bed. He opened Renji's yukata and carefully examined him all over, taking a few images of the defensive wounds. He parted the redhead's thighs, wincing at the sight of a substantial amount of blood. He took samples of the blood, reiatsu and semen, then checked under his fingernails and examined the clothing he had left in the bathroom.

"I need to run this to my lab. You can wake him up if you want so that he can clean up. I have all I need to get started."

Byakuya watched in silence as Kisuke left the room. He gazed down at Renji's sleeping form for a moment, then lifted him and carried him to the bathroom. He carefully bathed the redhead, stopping to address Renji's wounds as he encountered them, then dressed him in a yukata and left him sleeping in the bed. He started to leave the room, but as he did, Renji's voice rose up in the darkness.

"Taichou? Do you mind…stayin' for a while?"

Byakuya turned back and settled quietly at Renji's side, saying nothing as the redhead drifted off to sleep. When he was sure Renji was not awake, he slipped a hand into the redhead's.

"Do not worry," he said, half to himself, "Tomorrow, we will begin the search for the one who did this to you!"


	2. Shattered Pride

**Chapter 2: Shattered Pride**

Renji groaned as he rose out of sleep and found himself lying in a bed at Kisuke's shop. It wasn't until he saw his taichou, sleeping on a chair next to the bed with Byakuya's fingers entangled with his own that the redhead realized something was dreadfully wrong. Byakuya stirred and his gray eyes opened as Renji sat up next to him, placing a hand on his head and making a sound of discomfort.

"Lie back," Byakuya said solemnly, "I will bring Kisuke to relieve the pain."

"T-taichou? What's going on? How did I get here?"

Byakuya looked back at him questioningly.

"You do not remember?" he asked, frowning.

"Honestly, I don't remember shit…nothing at all. Sorry, Taichou. I may have been off duty, but I shouldn't have been drinking so much."

"What are you talking about?"

"I must have been drinking," Renji said, rubbing his eyes to clear them, "I feel like I have the worst hangover of my life. You probably think I deserve it for…"

"Don't be ridiculous. You don't have a hangover, Renji," Byakuya explained.

"I don't?" said Renji, his eyes widening, "But then, why does my head hurt so bad…and my mouth is dry, and I hurt all over? If I'm not hung over…"

"You were drugged," Byakuya said quietly.

"What?" Renji whispered, "I was drugged? How? What happened?"

"I wish I could tell you I knew exactly what happened, but I can only tell you what I discovered when I found you."

"Y-you found me, Taichou? Where?"

"In your quarters, at the sixth division," Byakuya told him, "You had staggered into the building from somewhere else, leaving traces of blood behind you. I tried knocking and calling to you, but you didn't answer, so I went into your room, and I found you collapsed on the floor…bleeding."

"I'd been in a fight?" Renji asked.

"Renji, if this was a fight, then your opponent followed no rules of battle I've ever heard of."

"Taichou, I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"What I'm telling you, and the reason you asked me to bring you here instead of the fourth division, is that someone drugged and raped you yesterday."

Renji's eyes went wide and his reiatsu flared.

"What are you saying?" he hissed, "Is this your idea of a joke? I wasn't…I couldn't have been…no, you're lying!"

"Renji, why would I lie about something like that?" the noble asked.

"I…I don't know! I don't know what you might be thinking. But I know I wasn't…I couldn't have been…!"

Byakuya met his eyes calmly.

"It is understandable that you are confused. The drug interfered with your mind and…"

"No! Stop saying that! Nothing like that happened!" Renji yelled, rolling to his feet and then groaning and falling to his knees, "I just got drunk and got in a fight. That's all that happened, Taichou! It has to be!"

"Kuchiki taichou is telling you the truth," said Kisuke, peeking in through the doorway, "He arrived here with you last night. You were a mess, Renji. It was obvious you had been drugged, and there were injuries to your body and fluids present on both your body and clothes that…"

"DON'T YOU FUCKING LISTEN? I SAID IT DIDN'T FUCKING HAPPEN!" Renji yelled, "I don't know exactly what did, but it wasn't that. And I may hurt like hell but I don't hurt _there_, and…"

"I healed you…after Kisuke examined you and took blood, tissue and semen samples," Byakuya said quietly, "Renji, there is no doubt in anyone's mind what happened to you. Now, I respected your wish for privacy, but…"

Renji glared at him, his chest heaving and his hands clenched into fists.

"Well, then," he growled in a choked voice, "If you _respect_ my wishes, then you will never speak to me or anyone else about this again. What happened is my business, and no one else's!"

Byakuya caught his breath softly, his face pale as Renji flash stepped past them, still barefoot and dressed in just a yukata, then disappeared out of the shop. Kisuke shook his head solemnly as Ichigo appeared in the room.

"W-was that Renji? Is he…?"

"He's not doing so good," Kisuke said softly, "He knows we're right about what happened, but for some reason, he doesn't want to deal with it."

Ichigo let out a distressed breath.

"Well?" he said, looking at Byakuya, "Aren't you going after him?"

The two older men remained silent and still. Ichigo stared at them questioningly.

"Well?" he asked, waiting as Byakuya and Kisuke exchanged glances.

"He told us not to speak of it to anyone else…or to him," said Byakuya, "He asked us to respect that choice."

"What?" Ichigo hissed furiously, "You can't mean that you're going to stand by and let Renji just bottle this up! He was viciously attacked!"

He turned on Byakuya, his reiatsu flaring.

"You're his taichou!" he shouted, "That ought to mean something, don't you think?"

"Ichigo," Kisuke said softly, "Kuchiki taichou is right. We wouldn't be helping him by forcing him to deal with it if he's not ready."

"But…" Ichigo began.

"Urahara-san only said that we should not pursue him about it," Byakuya said quietly, raising his eyes to meet Ichigo's, "He did not say that we should not _do_ something about it."

Ichigo gazed at Byakuya for a long moment, then nodded.

"So…what do we do?" he asked, more calmly, "How can we help him?"

"I've got a mountain of samples I'm working on," Kisuke said bracingly, "I just need time to get some answers…to look for something that will give us a place to start. I'm doing that now. And once we have an idea of where to start, I think Kuchiki taichou, Yoruichi and I will investigate."

"And me?" Ichigo asked, narrowing his eyes, "What am I supposed to do?"

Byakuya considered his words quietly for a moment.

"Comfort him," he suggested, "I am his taichou, as you said…and bound to that role. But you…Renji sees you as a friend. Go and find him. Sit with him. Don't speak of what happened, but just listen and offer comfort. If you respect his wishes and do not force the issue, he will likely talk to you."

Ichigo sighed.

"You're probably right."

He turned back to Kisuke and wrapped an arm around the shopkeeper, offering him a gentle kiss of parting, before pulling free of him and flash stepping away. Kisuke touched his lips lightly where Ichigo had kissed him, then looked up at Byakuya.

"I have one piece of information," he admitted, "and I'm giving it to you because I think you'll understand best what it means."

"What is it?" Byakuya asked, narrowing his eyes, "What have you found?"

"I haven't completed a full test yet, but when I ran a general check on the DNA from some of the blood and tissue I took from under his fingernails, I couldn't identify the person. The reiatsu was masked…by someone who knew how."

Kisuke's eyes darkened and his voice lowered in tone.

"Kuchiki taichou, I was able to determine that the samples were not from Renji, nor from any of his friends. And in addition to that, I was able to determine that the one who did this…is a noble…a full noble."

Byakuya's eyes widened.

"Which house?" he asked sharply.

"I can't tell…not yet," Kisuke said, rubbing his eyes, "but I'm going to break through the kido the guy used to mask his reiatsu. While I work on that, I was hoping you might do some digging. We need to know where Renji was last night. He left work, and he went somewhere that this guy was. If we retrace Renji's steps, we may be able to find who was with him."

"That sounds like a job that will require the help of a former second division taichou," said a feminine voice from behind them.

"Senpai," Byakuya said, meeting her eyes solemnly, "I do not think Renji would appreciate more people involving themselves."

"Well," said Kisuke, "If you try to tackle the investigation on your own, Kuchiki taichou, you will have way too much footwork to do. I suggest that the two of you start out together, and figure out where Renji was, who saw him, and who they saw him with. Then while Yoruichi gathers evidence, you can try to track down the noble who did it."

"And what do you suggest we do for Renji while we are investigating?" asked Byakuya, "He seems determined to hide what happened, to go on as if it didn't. And you understand why he feels that way."

"Yeah…I remember how awful the others could be to the ones it happened to. I never understood it. It's bad enough that Renji got hurt like that. But for other squad members, for others who consider themselves his friends to compound the hurt by questioning his role in what happened? I don't understand that at all."

"Nor do I," Byakuya agreed.

"So…when he comes back and tries to convince everyone he's fine, you have to find a way to give him support without bringing up what happened. Be there to talk to when he needs it. And make an attempt to offer what comfort you can without making too much of a point of it."

"And what happens when we know who did it?" asked Yoruichi, "If it is a member of an influential clan, then you know that this will be swept under the rug. The noble families protect themselves from these kinds of scandals by handing them privately."

"I will take care of that," Byakuya said quietly, "This will not be swept under the rug."

Kisuke and Yoruichi gazed at him questioningly.

"Whoever did this violated the trusts that go with being a noble. We are to set an example for all shinigamis. What this person did is unacceptable. And that they did this to my fukutaichou means that it falls to me to see that he is avenged. I will kill the one who did this for laying hands on my subordinate, for befouling his body and his reputation, and for soiling the honor of the noble families. As head of the Kuchiki clan, I swear this."

XXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo shook his head in frustration at just how long it took for him to track down Renji's reiatsu. Luckily for the substitute shinigami, Renji's ability to hide his reiatsu was as poor as Ichigo's ability to sense it, and the two worked together to, after a time, place Ichigo in the park where Renji had gone. He spotted the redhead sitting beside a small brook, looking down into the riled water. He approached quietly and sat down near Renji, not saying anything at first. Renji said nothing for a time, but finally looked up at him and nodded.

"Did Kisuke and Taichou send you?"

Ichigo gave a short chuckle.

"Don't you know?" he said with gentle sarcasm, "No one _sends_ me anywhere. I wanted to find you."

He paused for a moment, thinking.

"I uh…had all these ideas about what to say when I got here. You know, so that you wouldn't just tell me to fuck off and go home. Only thing is, now I can't remember a damned one!"

Renji managed a sad smile.

"So get outta here," he told Ichigo, "I don't need you to comfort me. Maybe Orihime or Rukia might need that kinda crap, but…"

"But not you, huh?" Ichigo queried, "You want to do this on your own. Okay, I won't try to fix it. But…I can't ignore the fact that you're my friend and something bad happened to you. We don't have to talk about it. I won't bug you about it. But if you change your mind and want to…I will listen."

He went silent as Renji's lips trembled softly, his hands clenched tightly and his voice became deeply controlled.

"Thanks," he said quietly, "I appreciate that."

They sat in silence for several agonizing minutes. Finally, Ichigo couldn't stop himself.

"So. What do we do now?" he asked, looking at the redhead's profile.

Renji thought for a moment.

"I don't know," he whispered, "I just wish this would go the hell away. It feels so strange, because Taichou healed me. It doesn't hurt physically, but I get sick thinking about it. I get sick thinking that Taichou saw me that way…that he had to carry me…that he had to touch me there to heal the damage. I never would have thought he'd…do that himself. I mean, he's the fucking head of the Kuchiki clan, not some squad four healer. He has servants who could have come and done it for him, but he did it himself."

"Does that really surprise you?" asked Ichigo, "Renji, I know Byakuya can be a real jerk when he wants to be…or when he feels like he has to be. But the guy has a code of honor and someone hurt a person he cares about."

"Taichou? You think Taichou…cares about me?" Renji asked, looking down at the hand that Byakuya had held all night.

"You don't?" Ichigo asked, "Renji, the guy broke rules to respect your wishes. He brought you to Kisuke so that no one you didn't want to know, would know. And while you're sitting here, trying not to think about what happened? It's all that he's thinking about."

"But I'm…a peasant. And he's…"

"Baka," Ichigo said, slipping an arm around Renji, "He's your taichou. And I think he's your friend, too. Because he wasn't acting like a taichou when he showed up here with you. He was acting like a guy in shock. And after you left just now, even I could feel how angry he was at whoever did this. Make no mistake, Renji, Byakuya is invested in this. He doesn't want the person who did this to walk away free. Neither do the rest of us. So we'll keep quiet like you want…but…don't expect us to forget that someone hurt you, or not to kill the son of a bitch if we ever learn who did it."

Renji let out a heaving breath and grimaced against the confusing swell of emotions inside him. He shook his head and leaned against Ichigo, taking needed comfort, then pulled away and stood.

"Where are you going?" Ichigo asked, "You going to be okay?"

"Huh," Renji huffed, "That's something you'd ask a girl who'd been teased by a bully. Don't insult me, Kurosaki."

He sighed softly.

"Thanks. I'll be okay. I'm just going to go back home and get some rest."

"You want company?"

"Fuck no," Renji answered, shaking his head, "I want some peace and quiet. I need to think. Taichou will eventually start asking me questions. I've got sit and think somewhere by myself…to see what I can remember."

"They said you were drugged."

"Maybe. But even if I was…it's still in there. I can remember if I try hard enough."

Ichigo smiled and nodded.

"Okay. Is it all right if I tell Kisuke and Byakuya where you'll be?"

"Sure," Renji said softly, "Just be sure they know I need to be alone for a bit."

"You've got it," Ichigo said, nodding.

He watched with dark, tormented eyes as the redhead flash stepped away.

"Renji," he whispered, "Take care of yourself."


	3. The Accusation

**Chapter 3: The Accusation**

Renji walked back along the nearly empty street that led to his apartment, trying to ignore the lingering pain in his lower back and pelvic region. He attempted to walk normally, even though doing so was more painful and kept the expression on his face neutral, so as not to let anyone see he was hurting. As he rounded a corner, he came to a stop, frowning at the sign above the pub he sometimes visited on the way home. He blinked in surprise as a memory flashed in his mind.

_Being in a hurry, he started to pass by the Velvet Mist Pub and Dance Club. The doors stood open to let in the breeze, and as Renji passed by, the music hummed in the air all around him, making him look inside as he came abreast of them. Inside the club, the music pounded and a sea of bodies swayed back and forth. His eye swept up to the balcony, and he smiled as he caught the unexpected sight of Kuchiki Tetsuya, dancing with someone on the upper balcony dance floor. He felt an odd sensation in his stomach as he looked closer and noticed the lack of the usual grace in his movements, the fact that his hands were open and pressed against his partner's shoulders and that when his head turned, there was uncharacteristic anger in the usually pleasant blue eyes. He sensed that something was dreadfully wrong with what he was seeing and stepped into the club._

The redhead caught his breath sharply and closed his eyes, trying to remember more, but sighing in frustration as his mind seemed to drop off at that point. Shaking his head, he started to walk on, when all at once a stronger image blazed across his mind.

_Tetsuya stood facing him and Renji looked down and saw his hand wrapped tightly around the other man's wrist. Tetsuya's dark eyes flashed with something that looked like a mixture of anger and something else. His mouth moved, but Renji couldn't hear the words. But it was clear that the noble had been upset about something. Renji saw an odd movement out of the corner of one eye. Tetsuya lunged forward, a furious expression on his face. His body struck Renji's and they began to fall together. As they fell, he pushed the noble away. Someone approached Tetsuya as he landed on the floor. The man dragged him to his feet, wrapping an arm around his waist and holding him tightly as he strained towards Renji, his mouth moving as though shouting Renji's name._

"Tetsuya?" Renji whispered, "Tetsuya was there?"

He stood for several minutes longer, hoping more would come to him, but was left with just the heavy sound of the music coming from the club, the laughter and talk that floated out from inside and the drifting scents of alcohol and perfume. Finally, he shook his head in frustration and continued along his way, failing to notice who passed by him or the greetings they called out to him. He reached the apartment building and climbed the stairs, mumbling a greeting to the old drunk who sat at the top of the first turn as he moved on to climb up the second.

"Tetsuya…" he whispered again.

He had been feeling odd vibes from the Byakuya's half-blooded cousin for a while. Although he wasn't certain what the feelings meant because while Tetsuya was pleasant and animated when discussing business, when things turned more casual, he quickly quieted and turned inward. He was still agreeable enough, but seemed to evince an almost painful shyness. And he'd been wondering if the beautiful, blue-eyed shinigami would get up the nerve to approach him or if he was going to have to break the ice. He sighed softly, noting that he would have already done so if that jackass from the Yamashita clan hadn't stepped in between them the first time he had seen Tetsuya come into the club, looking around nervously, as though he was expecting someone to be there. He'd taken it to mean that Tetsuya had come there looking for him, but as he'd moved to greet the noble, Yamashita Mitsuo had slipped an arm around him and turned him away. Minutes later, the two were on the dance floor and Renji was among his friends, talking, drinking, laughing and stealing glances at the noble's oddly wistful expression as Mitsuo held him close, and the two swayed and turned to the music.

But worse than Yamashita Mitsuo was his brother, Ryuu. He'd noticed that day that when Ryuu entered the club, Mitsuo had whispered something to Tetsuya and the two had parted quickly. It was probably, he thought, that Mitsuo, the slightly less annoying of the two brothers knew that his brother would disapprove of their association, their clans being at odds. It made Renji wonder at Tetsuya for allowing himself to be drawn in by Mitsuo…but then, Tetsuya, Renji knew, had lived a sheltered life at Kuchiki Manor and Renji had never seen him with a lover, male or female.

But was Mitsuo a lover? A potential lover? What?

"Ah, I haven't got the energy," he muttered, stepping inside his apartment and closing the door.

He turned on the lights and stumbled across the room, then fell down on the bed and drifted off, his mind still seeing Tetsuya shouting his name and being held back by…

"Who?" he whispered.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Did you find something?" Byakuya asked quickly, upon seeing the shopkeeper step out of the laboratory, wearing a troubled expression.

"Maybe," said Kisuke, his eyes narrowed and intense, "or maybe it's nothing. Kuchiki taichou, do you know if Renji is seeing anyone romantically?"

"Dating? Renji?" Byakuya said, frowning, "I don't know if he is seeing anyone seriously, but he is well liked. He has quite a few friends. I do not know beyond that. Why?"

"I was just trying to determine the meaning of something I found."

Byakuya gazed up at him questioningly and Kisuke continued.

"As I told you, I did find the reiatsu of a full noble assailant…and I am still struggling with that one. What I found that was unexpected, were traces of blood and semen on Renji's body from another noble male…this one of mixed heritage."

Byakuya's eyes darkened.

"Did you identify the clan?" he asked in a low voice.

Kisuke nodded.

"Yours."

Byakuya stared at him with a disbelieving expression.

"You don't mean…"

"The samples were masked, like the other noble's, just not as skillfully."

"And have you made an identification?"

Kisuke nodded.

"Kuchiki Tetsuya."

He noted Byakuya's disturbed expression and hurried on.

"That's why I asked if Renji had a lover. If he did and they were together, there could be another explanation…"

"But you don't think there is?"

"I don't know what his connection is to this. Byakuya, Tetsuya could be completely innocent. He could have been a witness…or, perhaps involved. We need to find him and ask him if he was with Renji last night."

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment against the thought of his gentle, loyal cousin having anything to do with such a vicious attack.

"I don't believe he could have done such a thing," Byakuya said, forcing his voice to remain calm. There has to be a reasonable explanation."

"Then, find Tetsuya, and let's see what he has to say. Whatever the truth is, if we talk to him, I'm thinking we'll be one step closer to knowing the truth."

Byakuya nodded and summoned a hell butterfly.

"Tetsuya, I need you to meet with me immediately at the Kuchiki Council Hall. I have a matter of extreme importance to discuss with you."

He sent the butterfly fluttering away, watching as it disappeared into the distance. Kisuke observed the disturbed reiatsu around him, and his deeply troubled expression.

"Kuchiki-san," he said quietly, "If it makes you feel any better, I think there's going to be another explanation. I know your cousin, and he's only ever been polite and friendly. This is not the kind of behavior a guy like him would display."

"No," said Byakuya, "I agree that it isn't. But I won't be able to put my worries aside until his name has been cleared."

XXXXXXXXXX

"He's starting to come around," said Ryuu in a low voice, "We need to put him under again."

"We can't," objected Mitsuro, bending over the dark haired shinigami in the bed. He brought a cup of water to the restrained man's lips and gently urged him to drink.

"Wh-what…what is happening? Where…is this…p-place?" the man moaned softly, his eyes opening and struggling to focus on the room he was in.

"Shh, go back to sleep," Mitsuro said softly, "You're running a high fever. I gave you something to bring it down, but you have to rest. Close your eyes."

He brushed the dark haired man's eyes closed and kissed his lips lightly. The bound man tried to move and caught his breath as he realized his wrists were bound. His eyes opened again and widened in distress.

"What are you d-doing? Why are you…?"

He broke off, his body twitching and falling still as Ryuu struck him with a quick kido spell. Mitsuro leaned over the dark haired man, his eyes distressed.

"Why did you do that? You'll kill him, doing that while he's drugged like that!"

"Did you want him to figure things out?" asked Ryuu, "The truth is, we should have killed him last night. He is going to be too much trouble!"

"You can't hurt him, Ryuu!" yelled Mitsuro, placing himself between the two, "You promised that Tetsuya wouldn't be hurt!"

His brother rounded on him, his brown eyes flaring dangerously.

"I didn't know he was going to be so much trouble," he said in a disgusted tone, "and besides, I also didn't realize how useful he could be in throwing them off. The way we set things up, they're going to be looking for him and asking questions. We have to make sure that he doesn't give them any answers. Now, the drug I gave him will interfere with his memory. He won't remember what happened."

"So why not let him go now?" asked Mitsuro, "Why take the chance on someone tracing him here?"

"We aren't going to take that chance. We're going to send him back after I use that drug one more time. One more time and he will be so muddled, he won't be able to tell them a thing."

"But you have to wait," said Mitsuro, "If you give it to him too soon, it will kill him!"

Ryuu shook his head and pulled his brother away from the bed.

"Don't worry, I'll wait. Now, I want you to go and see what they are up to. Watch them. Come back when you have news."

"But…"

"I have to give him the drug. I know how, you don't. You might accidentally kill him. Go, Mitsuro. I'll take care of him until you get back."

Mitsuro frowned down at the unconscious shinigami's pained face and let out a worried breath.

"No…" he said, shaking his head, "Ryuu, I can't. I can't leave him."

"I thought you'd say that," said Ryuu, sending a sudden shock of kido through his brother's body and catching him as he fell. He laid Mitsuro in the bed next to Tetsuya and stood over him, shaking his head.

"Now, I'll be the only one who remembers what happened. It's better this way, Brother. You don't need this kind of trouble. Sleep now. When you wake, you won't remember any of this."

He walked around to the other side of the bed and leaned over Tetsuya.

"Things won't be so easy for you," he said quietly, "It's too bad that my brother developed that odd infatuation with you. Though I can see the attraction. You're too gentle a person to be among them. But don't worry. You won't live to regret being one of them."

He knelt next to the bed and gave the unconscious man an injection.

"This will make everything disappear quickly, Kuchiki Tetsuya. You won't feel any pain. You will just fade away. I apologize for where you will be found, but…considering your muddy blood, perhaps it makes some kind of odd sense."

He lifted Tetsuya out of the bed and left his brother sleeping. He carried the unconscious man into the next room and opened a private senkaimon, then hurried through and closed it behind him, passing into the precipice world and emerging in the lower Rukongai. He found a deserted alley and abandoned Tetsuya there, then opened a senkaimon and disappeared. For a long time after, nothing moved within the alleyway. After a time, a soft blue glow rose around the noble's body and a petite feminine form appeared and knelt next to him. She bent over his fallen body and studied him carefully. Frowning and glowing a harsher blue, she sent her power through him and watched as relief registered on his sleeping face.

"This will slow the poison, but it will not cure it, Master," she whispered, "I cannot do much more than that, but I can try to attract attention."

She looked around the alley and shuddered.

"I wonder though, if that would be a good thing. But if I do nothing, you and I will certainly die…so this is a necessary risk."

Her power flared around her again, lighting the alley and causing a breeze to rocket down its length and breadth. Her lovely form faded, leaving only Tetsuya on the ground in the alley as several skulking forms appeared. They searched his clothes and found nothing of value, and were ready to leave him behind, when the youngest among them looked up at the eldest and asked softly.

"Should we take him to Michi? He looks sick."

"Drunk, more likely," said the older boy, "but if you think we should, then let's. He's close and this guy looks light."

Several of the street children gathered and lifted Tetsuya off the ground. They carried him out of the alley and to the town doctor's home a few blocks away. They set him on the ground in front of the door, knocked, then scattered. A few moments later, the door opened and an old woman looked out and found the collapsed shinigami on the doorstep. Shaking her head, she called for her husband, who helped her lift him and take him to one of the bedrooms. The doctor leaned over him and examined him carefully.

"How is he?" asked his wife.

"It looks like an overdose, though it seems rather odd. I wouldn't expect to see that in someone otherwise so healthy and also one of _them_."

"Do you think he is related to _him_, then? He is one of Byakuya-sama's clan?"

"Yes. He is of mixed descent, one parent full noble and one peasant. Perhaps he lives in the Rukongai. And if he does, it is not certain Byakuya-sama even knows of him. But I will send him a hell butterfly. He certainly doesn't come from around here. I wonder how he came to be here…and in such a condition. It is odd…so very odd, Noa."

"Well, one thing is sure," Noa said softly, "He needs our help."

"I will purge his systems and after, we will need to monitor him closely. His condition is very poor. I sense that he has some power that has kept him alive this long, but that it is beginning to fail."

He gathered several compounds and mixed them together, then raised the noble's consciousness enough to manage the mixture.

"You are going to feel quite unwell for a time, but we'll do our best to help you," he said softly as he worked, "You are going to have to help us or we will lose you. I sincerely hope, my friend, that you would rather live than die. If you want to live, work with me. Force the toxin out."

Tetsuya sat up, groaning fitfully, and Michi held him up as he leaned forward and expelled the contents of his stomach.

"It isn't there," the doctor said quietly, "You have to force it out of your reiatsu. Work with me now. I can feel you fighting. Force it out!"

Tetsuya groaned loudly again and leaned against the doctor, panting and shivering. He gave a sharp cry of pain and Michi drew back and watched as a small, glowing swirl of red emerged from the noble and hung in the air for a moment. It shimmered and swelled threateningly, then disappeared into a harmless puff of smoke as Tetsuya dropped onto his back, moaning and sweating, and Michi smiled down at him.

"You'll be all right, I think. Just rest now, young man. And if I were you, I would reconsider my choices as of late. Your recklessness could have cost you your life."


	4. The Suspect

**Chapter 4: The Suspect**

Tetsuya heard the first hushed sounds of morning arriving and forced his eyes open. The room he found himself in was completely unfamiliar, as were the low voices and footsteps he heard outside the room. He rubbed his eyes and muffled a soft groan at the awful ache in his head, then slipped out of bed and found the clothes that he had been wearing. As he dressed, he tried to remember just what had happened before. But everything seemed muddled. His mind seemed enveloped in a fog and he remembered little but his name.

_How can this be?_

He tried to focus on home, on familiar names and places, and although a few images flashed in his mind, no names surfaced with them. He saw places, but had no idea where they were, what they were called, or where they stood in relation to where he was. He searched his pockets but found no identification. He was relieved to find some currency, however, so even if lost and unable to remember, he wasn't destitute. He couldn't tell anything from his clothing. It was civilian, rather than military, and well made. So he was likely not a poor man. Yet, looking out the window of his room, he looked to be in a poor area…a very poor area.

_Why did I come here?_

He had a vague memory of the man's voice he heard outside his room.

_That's right…he is a healer. I was…ill, no not just ill, but poisoned. But who poisoned me?_

"I've had word from Kuchiki Manor," said a feminine voice that he remembered to belong to the healer's wife Noa, "Byakuya-san said that he doesn't know if this is his cousin, but that they are looking for him."

"But do I want to be found?" Tetsuya whispered to himself.

_After all_, he reasoned, _I do not know who poisoned me. It could be this cousin, or someone else. But I dare not show myself, or allow myself to be found until I know._

"Did Byakuya-san say when he would be here to see him?" asked the healer.

"No," said Noa, "But Michio, he _did_ say that it is very important that we do not allow him to leave. He couldn't tell me all of the details, but apparently, it has to do with something that happened in the Seireitei the night before last…and our Renji-san was involved."

"Is Renji-san all right?" Michio asked quickly.

"Yes," Noa replied, "but he is having a difficult time about whatever happened. And Byakuya-san needs to find his cousin if they are to have any answers."

_But I don't remember anything…nothing! And if he comes to question me…_

He hurriedly finished dressing and picked up the zanpakutou that had been sitting with his clothing. He reached out with his mind to connect with the blade's spirit, but felt nothing in return.

_I don't know what good it does to try to connect. I don't even remember its name._

He slipped the blade into the belt at his waist and moved silently to the door. He waited until he heard the healer leave and the old woman enter one of the other rooms, then slipped out into the hallway and through the main entry. He peeked out the door, and seeing no one watching, he walked out, closing the door behind him.

He followed the main street, trying to blend in with the other people and working his way into the next district, and on into the next. No one acted as though they recognized him, so as he moved on, he gradually began to relax. His stomach still throbbed softly and he felt residual nausea from the poison the healer had flushed from his system, so he was careful to keep the pace gentle, and he stopped to rest several times, purchasing and eating small amounts of bread to calm the discomfort. Even so, his energy faded over time. Looking around, he spotted an inn, and angled towards it.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ugh…" Renji groaned, covering his head with a pillow and ignoring the knock on his door.

When it didn't stop, he peeked out and squinted at the clock.

"F-fuck…" he muttered, realizing that he was late for work.

He rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Go the hell away!" he muttered under his breath, as the knocking continued.

"Renji, open up! It's me!" called Ichigo's voice, "C'mon, I know you're in there. Don't make me have to kick the door in."

"All right, all right," he moaned, getting up and staggering to the door, still holding a hand to his head.

He opened the door and glared at the substitute shinigami.

"What the hell do you want?" he grumbled, "I'm late for work."

"Work?" Ichigo said, frowning, "What the hell are you talking about? You can't go to work today. You are still recovering."

"I'm fine," the redhead said gruffly, turning back to his closet to search for a shihakushou, "What're you doing here, Ichigo?"

"Look, don't bite my head off, okay?" the substitute shinigami said, raising an eyebrow, "I think it's understandable if a guy wants to check up on his friend after he's been hurt is all. I brought some Kisuke's special, restorative tea for you. I thought we could have breakfast."

"I don't have time for breakfast," Renji grumbled, slipping out of his yukata.

Ichigo made a soft sound of surprise as he caught sight of the healing bruises on his friend's body, but he held back speaking as Renji cast him a seething look of warning.

"Yeah well, you need the tea."

"Then bring the damned stuff and come with me," Renji said brusquely.

Ichigo smiled sympathetically as Renji finished dressing, then followed him quietly out of the apartment and down the stairs. They emerged onto the street and turned towards the sixth division. Renji looked at the ground as they walked, ignoring the people who passed, but as they continued down the street, Ichigo noticed several shinigamis staring.

"Renji?" he queried softly, "Why are they looking at us like that?"

Renji seemed to break out of the reverie he was in and he met the gaze of several of the passers by.

"Shit," he muttered softly.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"Can't you tell?" Renji said darkly, his reiatsu throbbing fitfully, "Someone said something! Someone…"

He flash stepped away, leaving Ichigo behind and kept flash stepping all of the way to the sixth division. He burst inside, his reiatsu on fire around him and headed for Byakuya's desk. He slid to a stop, surprised at finding the chair by the desk empty.

"What the fuck! Rikichi, where is Taichou?"

"T-taichou?" the boy stammered, looking like he was scared witless, "H-he was going to meet someone at the Kuchiki Council Hall, but…but then he got a hell butterfly and he left. I don't know where he is, honest, Renji!"

Renji took a breath and forced down his emotions.

"Okay…sorry kid."

He dropped into his chair as the door opened and Ichigo entered the office.

"Damn…thought I lost you," Renji muttered.

"I knew where you were going," said Ichigo, "And I'm not leaving until you drink some of this."

"All right, all right," groaned Renji, "Stop already. Rikichi, take that pain in the ass over there and show him where we make the tea."

"Hai, Abarai fukutaichou!" Rikichi said quickly, "Come, Ichigo. This way."

Renji shook his head and sighed.

"Fuck…this gets worse and worse. But…if Taichou didn't report it…then how did those people know? They…all are people I know from that club. I wonder…did it happen there? Did they see? And if they did, then why do they just stare? Some of them are friends, at least, I thought they were. What happened? What the hell happened?"

He saw again, Tetsuya dancing slowly with his hands braced against another man's chest and anger in his eyes…and again he felt the noble's body bring his down…someone dragging Tetsuya to his feet and holding him back as the noble's blue eyes went wide and his mouth opened…

"Like he was saying my name," Renji breathed, "Or…screaming it. Damn!"

He let out a long, shaky breath.

"I have to forget it. I have to…"

He looked up as Ichigo and Rikichi reappeared and Rikichi served Renji's tea. Ichigo sat down in the chair next to the redhead's desk and watched him drink. Renji felt a good measure of the pain he was feeling fade and he started to feel somewhat better.

"Okay," he said in a somewhat conciliatory tone, "I drank the tea. Now will you leave me the fuck alone?"

Ichigo laughed and smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

"Yeah, whatever. I am going over to the manor. Rukia's coming back this evening."

"Shit, I forgot…" Renji groaned.

"That's not nice," Ichigo observed.

"Yeah, fuck nice," grunted Renji, "Get outta here, Kurosaki, before I throw your ass out!"

"That's even less nice," commented the substitute shinigami as he headed for the door, "You're just pissed because you know as soon as Rukia gets back, she'll hunt you down. She isn't going to take any crap from you. You're gonna have to deal with this, Renji. You won't have a moment's peace until you do."

"Fuck off, Kurosaki. Let me have my last few minutes of peace…"

Ichigo sighed and shook his head, then left the office. Rikichi was wise enough to disappear and to leave the redhead alone to do his work.

Renji leaned his face against one hand and tried to focus on the page in front of you. But the words on the paper blurred in front of his eyes and his mind throbbed with a dark and fireshot memory.

_"You should turn around and leave, while you can," said a cold voice._

_"Renji!" Tetusya's voice hissed softly, "Go. I w-want you to leave."_

"Damn it!" Renji muttered, shaking the errant thought away and focusing harder on the page in front of him.

His concentration was shattered again as the office door opened and Byakuya walked in. He paused, gazing at Renji with a curious expression.

"Abarai, what are you doing here?"

"I'm working," Renji said tersely, "And it's a good thing I came in. I thought you said that you weren't going to tell anyone anything."

Byakuya frowned.

"I haven't said anything," the noble said, shaking his head.

"You had to," Renji insisted, "All the way over here, people were staring at me! You were asking questions, weren't you? you said you wouldn't tell people, but…"

"Renji, I didn't tell anyone," Byakuya repeated solemnly.

"Then, where were you? What were you out doing, if you weren't out stirring up trouble by asking a lot of questions?"

"I was looking for my cousin," Byakuya said, sitting down next to the redhead.

"Tetsuya?"

"Hai," Byakuya said, nodding, "I know you don't want to talk about it, but after you left, Kisuke discovered physical traces from my cousin on your body. He said that he wasn't sure if it meant that Tetsuya was involved in what happened, so I went to find my cousin to ask him a few questions. I sent a hell butterfly, but he never responded. He hasn't been at the manor since just before the attack on you. He was treated for poisoning of some kind by a healer in Inuzuri…"

"Whoa, whoa…poison? Inuzuri? Is…is he okay?"

"He was recovering, but he left the healer's house before I could reach him. I only know it was him because I found his reiatsu in the room he had stayed in. Renji, the healer said that Tetsuya seemed oddly confused, as though his memory had been affected. So…I must ask you. Do you have any reason to believe that my cousin was involved in the attack on you?"

"I…I don't know!" Renji said, biting his lips in frustration, "I keep thinking back, but everything is really…foggy."

Byakuya's frown deepened.

"Then you may have been affected by the same thing as Tetsuya."

He broke off as the door opened and the second division taichou entered the room.

"Kuchiki taichou, my apologies."

"What do you need, Soi fon taichou?" Byakuya asked, looking up at her.

"A report came into our office about an incident at The Velvet Mist Pub and Dance Club," Soi fon stated sternly, "According to the report, Kuchiki Tetsuya was seen assaulting Abarai Renji. He was said to have knocked him to the floor and the two were arguing about something. We have been seeking Kuchiki Tetsuya for questioning in the assault and we have been interviewing patrons. Several witnessed Kuchiki-san knocking you down and said that he had two men drag you into a private room…purportedly to settle the argument. But no one knows what happened then. There are rumors that Kuchiki-san sexually assaulted you, but we do not have an eyewitness."

"Who filed the report?" asked Byakuya.

"No one knows," Soi fon admitted, "but we are required to follow up on it and find out if a crime was committed. We will need to question Abarai fukutaichou and Kuchiki-san will be arrested when we find him."

"You can't arrest Tetsuya!" objected Renji, You don't even know that he did anything, and I'll tell you I don't remember anything, so you have no reason to go after him!"

"You were seen being carried by your taichou to the living world. Be glad that I am not having him charged for destroying evidence."

"You can't touch Taichou or Tetsuya and you know it!" said Renji, "They're nobles."

"I cannot arrest Kuchiki taichou, no," agreed Soi fon, "But the charges leveled against Kuchiki Tetsuya are capitol offenses. We have jurisdiction."

"But not if you don't know for sure there's been a crime!" Renji cried, "Look, Tetsuya would not hurt me…ever!"

"Then, how do you explain the fact that he knocked you down and had you dragged into that room?"

"I don't know!" Renji said, slamming a hand down on his desk in frustration, "but I know Tetsuya. He's a friend."

Soi fon gave him a skeptical look.

"Then where is your 'friend' when it's obvious from looking at you that you were hurt? He was seen there…and he just left you hurt like that? I don't know if I would consider that the act of a friend."

Renji was careful not to answer.

"Soi fon taichou," said Byakuya, "I think that Renji has told you all he can for now. I will continue to work with him at remembering and we will let you know if we make any progress."

Soi fon nodded.

"And we will inform your clan once Kuchiki Tetsuya is in custody."

They watched as the second division taichou flash stepped away, then Renji slammed his hands down on his desk again.

"Damn it! Who filed that report?" he yelled, "It's like someone _wants_ to make my life miserable!"

"Perhaps…" mused Byakuya, "but they also managed to make my cousin look guilty. I wonder if it is the same person who poisoned Tetsuya."

Renji looked at Byakuya incredulously.

"Y-you think someone set this whole thing up?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"Maybe…or they were after something else and things went wrong…after which they used this situation to cover their tracks and turn the attention to my cousin. And then, perhaps they planned to kill Tetsuya to keep him from telling what he knew. We know his mind was affected."

"We need to find him, then," said Renji, standing and picking up Zabimaru.

Byakuya studied him for a moment.

"Then you really don't believe that my cousin was responsible for the attack on you?" he asked softly, "despite evidence that says he, at very least, was there?"

"I told _her_ and I'll tell you, there's no way in hell that Tetsuya would hurt me like that. There's something else going on here. But we need to find him, Taichou…before the second division does!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya woke, shivering and sweating, with harsh pains assaulting his midsection. He sat up, catching his breath and wincing as the pain jolted him.

"Oh…" he groaned, dragging himself to his feet and holding his abdomen.

He staggered to his door and out into the hallway, then back down to the front desk of the inn. He clung to the desk as the night clerk gasped and stood, staring at him in dismay.

"Sir…?"

"I n-need a healer!" Tetsuya gasped, "I…"

Another jolt of pain tore through his midsection and the noble released the edge of the counter and collapsed onto the floor. The clerk ran to his side and found that he was breathing, then ran down the hallway to one of the other rooms. She tapped stridently on the door, rousing the sleepy man inside.

"Makoto!" the woman called urgently, "Makoto, please wake up! A man has collapsed here in the lobby!"

There was a moment of rustling in the room, then the door opened and a sleepy looking, slender man with shoulder length brown hair and emerald green eyes stepped out into the hallway. He followed the woman to Tetsuya, then knelt beside him and examined him quickly.

"Is he all right? What's wrong with him?" the clerk asked.

"I'm not sure why he collapsed, but I'll take him into my room for the night."

He lifted the unconscious man into his arms. As he did, Tetsuya's eyes opened and he gazed up at the other man with worried eyes.

"P-please…don't…tell anyone…I'm…I'm…"

"Easy now," Makoto said calmly, "I'll put you in a comfortable bed and let you have some rest."

He carried Tetsuya into his room and sent the clerk for some tea.

"So…you are…in some kind of trouble?" he asked softly.

"I…I don't know. I can't remember because I was poisoned. But I was being pursued. Please…you can't tell anyone I'm here!"

Makoto looked into the dark blue eyes and thought carefully.

"Do you know your name?" he asked.

"Tetsuya," the noble answered.

"Tetsuya, are you aware that you are with child?"

Tetsuya's face grew tormented.

"I…I suspected, because of the pain and nausea, but I wasn't sure if it was that or the poison."

"I haven't yet determined how far along you are, but it seems like you are in trouble and need someone to help you get your bearings. If you have no objection, I will take you to my private cabin in the forest near here. No one knows to look there for me, and I can take care of you without attracting suspicion," the healer said, looking up at the door, "But we need to leave now, while she is occupied."

Tetsuya frowned and his eyes grew more troubled. But finally, he nodded. Makoto lifted the noble into his arms and slipped out into the hallway. He crept past the front desk and out into the night, disappearing just as the clerk returned and found the two were gone.


	5. Comforting

**Chapter 5: Comforting**

Renji walked into his quarters and gathered a few changes of clothes, preparing a shoulder pack for the trip into the Rukongai. He lifted the pack onto his shoulder, then felt an uncomfortable ache returning inside, and remembered that Ichigo had left more of the restorative tea in the squad kitchen. He left his quarters and walked down the hallway to the squad kitchen, then searched briefly and found the tea, and Baykuya's favorite as well, and placed them in the bag. He moved to add a few snacks, but paused as voices rose up outside the curtained window in the training grounds.

"_Did you hear about it_?" one voice asked.

"_What_?"

"_Abarai fukutaichou…he was beat up and raped at the Velvet Mist Club the other night_."

"_What? Really? That's awful_!"

"_Yeah_."

"_Do they know who did it_?"

"_They say they don't know, but I heard it was that half breed Kuchiki_."

"_Kuchiki Tetsuya? But he seems nice! He doesn't seem badass enough to beat someone like Abarai, let alone have sex with him if he didn't want it_."

"_I don't know. Maybe he did. Cause, you know, really? Someone like him? He should have been able to fight the guy off_."

Renji placed a hand on his stomach and bent forward slightly at the sick feeling that rose up inside him.

"_I don't know…I don't think I'll look at him the same, you know_?"

"_Hey, it's not Abarai's fault if some guy beat the shit out of him and raped him. What are you saying_?"

"_Hey, I'm not the only one who is thinking that…you know…I've lost respect for him. I mean, if he can't fight off a guy who wants to have sex with him, then do we really want to trust him when we go out to fight hollows? Think about it_…"

"_Shut up_."

"_You just know I'm right_."

"_Screw you_!"

"Renji, are you ready to…Renji?" Byakuya said from the doorway.

He flash stepped across the room as the redhead loosed a deep, guttural sob and gripped the back of a chair tightly to anchor himself.

"Renji?" Byakuya said, stopping in front of him and catching his breath at the sight of the pain in his subordinate's face.

"Just…just give me a minute, okay?" the redhead said, fighting back tears, "I'm…fine."

Byakuya stood quietly, with his eyes respectfully lowered as Renji sniffed and rubbed his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked carefully.

"N-nothing," Renji said in a choked voice, "I told you, I'm okay. I just…never mind. We have to go, don't we?"

Byakuya looked into the distressed, red-brown eyes and debated inwardly about what he should do. Renji was obviously in pain, but he also didn't seem as though he wanted to share it. He thought briefly about forcing the issue, but then felt that it might just make things worse. And, he decided, as they would be in the Rukongai for a few days, there would be time to try to convince Renji to tell him.

"Yes," he said finally, "We should begin searching as soon as possible."

"Where are going to start?"

"We will stop by the club. It is closed this early in the day, so we can walk through it and see if anything comes back to you."

"Y-yeah," said Renji, his face going pale at the thought, "I guess that I'm going to need to do that…if I want to figure out what really happened. But I'm still positive that Tetsuya didn't do this to me. I know it, Taichou."

"I know it as well," said Byakuya, "and I am relieved that your senses are telling you the same thing. I have to confess though, I have been worried about Tetsuya."

"You have?"

"Yes. He has not been looking well, as of late. He tries to hide it, but I have seen the discomfort. I tried encouraging him to see our clan healer, but he claims that it is minor and will go away on its own."

"Is that all?" Renji asked.

"No," Byakuya said solemnly, "I came across him talking to Yamashita Mitsuro."

"Yamashita Ryuu's brother, ne?" Renji queried.

"Yes," confirmed the noble, "I do not know how they met, because our clans are very much at odds right now. It is not Mitsuro's doing, nor is he supportive of his brother's disrespectful ways, but Tetsuya is aware of the situation and should have avoided even speaking to Mitsuro."

Byakuya paused, seeing the look that crossed Renji's face.

"What is it?" he asked, "Have you seen them together?"

Renji hesitated, hating to get Tetsuya into some kind of trouble, but knowing that Byakuya needed to have all of the facts to proceed.

"I take it by your expression that you _have_ seen them together?"

"Ah…ah, hell. Taichou, I don't know what to say. Tetsuya is my friend, but you…are my taichou and my friend…and Tetsuya is in a lot of trouble. Normally, I figure it's not my business to pass on stuff like that, but yeah, I have seen them together…dancing together at the Velvet Mist."

Byakuya's expression darkened.

"Taichou, is Tetsuya going to be in trouble with the clan? Because he didn't do anything wrong. Hell, maybe Ryuu is an asshole, but Mitsuro isn't a bad guy. I don't know him that well, but I do know that he's not like his brother.

"I understand," said Byakuya, "But you need to understand. The clan rules are very strict. Tetsuya will likely be brought before the Kuchiki elders and placed in the clan prison."

"F-for dancing with the wrong guy?" Renji said, shock running through him and leaving him feeling nauseous again, "Taichou…"

"I do not make the rules, Renji," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "but all of our clan members have to obey them. Now, there is a chance that if we can open up a dialog between our clans, we can work to end our rivalry, and then Tetsuya's sentence will be lighter."

"Taichou…look, I know that you feel very strongly about following the rules, but you loved someone you weren't supposed to…and you fought for that love. Maybe Tetsuya is really in love…and maybe you should just look the other way and not say anything about what you know…please…for me."

Byakuya stared at him in surprise.

"You…are asking me to overlook my cousin's involvement with a member of an enemy clan?" the noble asked softly, "Do you realize what you are asking me to do? Because if the elders learn that I knew of Tetsuya's involvement with Mitsuro and said nothing…"

"I know," said Renji, frowning as tears tried to rise in his eyes and he fought them back, "but like I said, you and Tetsuya are my friends…and I am already going through hell."

Byakuya's eyes closed for a moment, then opened again and met his calmly.

"Very well," he said softly, "I will let it go…because you wish it."

"Thank you, Taichou," said Renji, letting out a tense breath and giving him a weak smile, "I really appreciate that."

Byakuya lowered his eyes, thinking, then looked up questioningly.

"What is it?" Renji asked.

"Do you think that Yamashita Ryuu may have had anything to do with this?" the noble asked, "Because Kisuke found samples of semen and reiatsu from a full noble, who was able to mask his identity."

Renji strained his muddled mind, thinking back to what he remembered.

"Perhaps we should try going into the club to see if being there brings anything back," Byakuya suggested.

"Okay," Renji agreed, following the noble down the street.

They reached the dance club a few minutes later and were admitted inside by the facilty's janitor.

"Go ahead and look around, Kuchiki taichou," he said, turning back towards the club office and leaving the two alone.

Renji stood on the lower dance floor and closed his eyes. He saw patrons dancing and heard music in his mind, and remembered walking into the club and spotting Tetsuya on the upper balcony…with…

"Have you remembered something?" Byakuya asked, "Your expression says you might have…"

"Y-yeah," said Renji, "I think I might remember some. I remember…being right here, and I…saw Tetsuya upstairs, on the balcony."

Byakuya gazed at him intently, remaining carefully silent. Renji turned and moved towards the stairs.

"I c-can't remember who he was with…but he was dancing with somebody…and he was angry."

"He was angry?" Byakuya repeated curiously.

"Mmhmm," said Renji, nodding as he started to climb the stairs, "I went up the stairs…"

Renji fliched as a pain shot through his head.

"Renji," said Byakuya quickly, "Are you all right?"

"I…I think so," he said, putting a hand to his head.

Byakuya followed him onto the stairs.

"I uh…went up the stairs," Renji went on, his face pale and the hand that touched the railing, shaking softly, "No, wait, I _ran_ up the stairs."

He walked to the top of the stairs and moved onto the balcony dance floor.

"Something happened, I don't know what," Renji whispered, "But…Tetsuya yelled something…and then he tackled me. I don't know why. Then…someone…I don't…remember the guy's face, but it _was_ a guy…someone grabbed Tetsuya around the waist and was holding him back. Taichou, I remember…his mouth moving…like he was yelling my name."

Renji stopped and shook his head.

"That's it. That's all I remember."

Byakuya sighed softly and nodded.

"I see," he said softly, "So we can conclude that my cousin was involved, but as of yet, we don't know how."

"He could have…Taichou, it's…possible that he was protecting me…from something."

"But we do not know what…or who," said the noble, "Still, this is a beginning."

He thought carefully for a moment.

"Renji," he began, then he stopped and stared at the floor.

"What is it?" Renji asked, following the noble's gaze.

"Blood traces…" Byakuya breathed, moving closer.

Renji moved closer as well, and reached down to touch the dried blood dot on the hardwood floor. He reeled and grabbed his head, crying out in pain as a flash of memory struck him.

"_RENJI!" Tetsuya cried above the music, "RENJI, GET OUT OF HERE!"_

"_Hey," shouted a bouncer, "You wanna have a spat, go in a room or take it outside."_

"_Go, Renji!" cried the noble, "Go now!"_

_The hands holding Tetsuya tightened._

"_Let me go, you bastard!" Tetsuya screamed, "Renji, Renji, look out!"_

_Something struck the back of his head and everything went black._

"Renji," Byakuya said, wrapping his arms around the redhead as he gave a pained sob and collapsed.

Byakuya lifted him and carried him through an open door, into one of the private rooms and laid him down in the bed in the room. He found a clean washcloth and ran cool water on it, the used it to wash the redhead's sweating face.

"Renji?" he called softly, "Renji, are you all right?"

Renji's eyes opened, but Byakuya saw immediately that the red-brown eyes were dazed and senseless. He backed away as Renji thrashed around on the bed, his hands and feet held still as the rest of his body strained against nonexistent bonds. Renji's mouth opened into a scream of pain and terror, and Byakuya heard the janitor's feet pounding on the stairs. The noble flash stepped back to the bed and took the redhead in his arms, holding him tightly and talking soothingly in his ear.

"Is…is he…okay?" the janitor asked, staring.

"He…will be," Byakuya said, looking back at the man, "I want you to call the owner. Tell him that I am having an investigative team come in to look for clues. I think…this is the room where the crime happened."

He sent a hell butterfly to Kisuke, then lifted Renji's suddenly limp form and flash stepped back downstairs and out of the club. He moved at top speed so that no one would see them and carried the overwhelmed redhead to the fourth division.

"Kotetsu fukutaichou," he said stridently to the woman at the greeting desk, "We must see Unohana taichou immediately…and privately."

The fourth division fukutaichou nodded and led them quickly down a hallway to a quiet examination room set away from the rest.

"Wait here, Kuchiki taichou," she said, turning away, "Unohana taichou will be here in a moment."

"Arigato," said Byakuya, nodding and laying Renji down on the bed.

He slipped a hand into the redhead's and tried again to stir him.

"Renji?" he called softly, "Renji, we're not there anymore. Wake up, Renji."

The redhead groaned and stirred, and a moment later, his eyes opened, still looking hazy and half aware. He sat up quickly, bringing one hand to his head, then seemed to realize that Byakuya was holding the other hand. As though instinctively, he took hold of the surprised noble and curled into his arms.

"Renji…" Byakuya whispered, staring.

"T-taichou?" Renji moaned dazedly, "Taichou, what happened?"

"I don't know, exactly," the noble said quietly, "But I think it was a flashback. I think the room I took you into at the club…is where you were bound and assaulted."

"Oh…" groaned the redhead, still holding his head with one hand and resting his forehead on Byakuya's shoulder, "S-sorry Taichou, it's just…I feel better being close to you…smelling sakura…it…it feels like _home_. I know that's stupid. But with everything falling apart like this, I just…"

He trailed off, still leaned against Byakuya and waiting for the noble to say something…_anything_. Byakuya just continued to hold him quietly as the door opened and Unohana taichou walked in.

"Kuchiki taichou…Abarai fukutaichou, how can I help you?" she asked, looking concerned.

Byakuya pulled away slightly and Renji lifted his head and looked up at her. The healer bit her lip silently and waited.

"I want to ask a personal favor," said Byakuya, "I know that there are rules about cases of officers and _certain crimes_, but in the interest of offering my subordinate the proper support, I am asking that you handle this situation confidentially. I know there is an ongoing investigation…"

"But where it is at odds with Abarai fukutaichou's treatment, I will act to ensure that your subordinate has the best care possible…and no additional pressures placed on him."

"Arigato," the noble said, nodding.

He moved to a chair beside the bed, waiting quietly and answering the healer's questions.

"Abarai-san seems to have suffered a severe flashback," said Unohana taichou, "And it sounds like he did so because he came into contact with the setting of the crime."

"What can be done to help him?" Byakuya asked.

"I want to keep him here overnight," the healer said, looking at the redhead's chart, "He is showing signs of dehydration and severe stress. I will see he is restored and likely release him tomorrow, after having him speak to a crisis counselor."

"A…no," said Renji, shaking his head, "I don't want people asking me a whole lot of questions. I'll be okay. I just…remembered too much at once, or something. I'm fine. I'll be fine. Besides, Taichou and I are…"

"You will do as Unohana taichou says," Byakuya said firmly, "I will go and look for my cousin, and I want you to stay here and rest."

"But…I want to help!" Renji objected as the healer left the room to allow the two to have privacy, "Tetsuya is my friend…and he's obviously in trouble. Look, I'm sorry I was so weak and freaked out like that! I won't do it again! Just…please let me come with you!"

Byakuya moved to the edge of the bed and sat down. He looked into the damp red-brown eyes and felt a quiver of concern for the redhead.

"Renji, you are…"

He stopped as Renji placed his hands on the noble's shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"You are being really great, Taichou," he said softly, "And I appreciate that. But right now, Tetsuya is missing…and we have to find him. I promise I'll come back here…and I will see as many counselors as you want, once we find him. Please, I need to go with you."

Renji froze as Byakuya's hand touched his face and the dark gray eyes fastened on his.

"You are not weak," Byakuya said softly, "You are, however, hurt. And I do not want you to further torment yourself."

Renji managed a trembling smile.

"I'll be okay," he said, sounding stronger, "And I won't be alone. Remember, I'll have you with me. And if I take a turn for the worse, you can always bring me back here."

"Renji…"

"Please, Taichou…" Renji whispered, "I know I look bad…like I'm going to pieces, but I can do this. I need to deal with what happened…in my own way."

Byakuya left his hand rested lightly against the redhead's flushed cheek and nodded briefly.

Renji's smile strengthened.

"Thank you, Taichou," he breathed, leaning forward and surprising the noble's soft lips with a gently placed kiss.


	6. Searching

**Chapter 6: Searching**

_"Renji…"_

_"Please, Taichou…" Renji whispered, "I know I look bad…like I'm going to pieces, but I can do this. I need to deal with what happened…in my own way."_

_Byakuya left his hand rested lightly against the redhead's flushed cheek and nodded briefly._

_Renji's smile strengthened._

_"Thank you, Taichou," he breathed, leaning forward and surprising the noble's soft lips with a gently placed kiss._

Byakuya froze, his lips touching Renji's and his eyes fixed on the red-brown ones that seemed to look down inside him. Renji read the instant confusion in his expression and pulled away as Byakuya blinked and touched his lips with a questing fingertip.

"S-sorry," Renji said, looking down at the floor, "I uh…don't know why I did that. It was…"

"An emotional response to everything that has happened," Byakuya said quietly, "You are in an unfamiliar place. It is understandable that you would seek something familiar to comfort you. And we have had a long association. I am not offended."

"That's good," sighed Renji, looking away, "because that would be just one more thing, you know? And I have a lot I'm dealing with right now."

"Then I am glad I could offer you some comfort. But now, we must be on our way. Are you certain, then? You wish to pursue this with me?"

"Yeah," Renji said, his voice strengthening, "I do."

"Then come. We will begin the search in Inuzuri. I'll try to sense my cousin's reiatsu and follow it from there."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thank kami you found him, Makoto!" a familiar voice said worriedly, breaking into the heavy silence in Tetsuya's mind.

The noble shifted sluggishly, forced his eyes open and squinted up at the handsome man who leaned over him. At first, his mind was still clouded and unable to remember, but as the man's face came into focus, realization flooded his face.

"M-mitsuro?" he queried softly, "Is that you?"

"Yes, watashi no koi," the man assured him, "It is me. You are very lucky. I had Makoto looking for you after I woke and realized that I had been drugged. I tried to find you, but I could not. Tetsuya, you must realize, we are in a lot of trouble!"

"Not the least of which is because I am carrying the child of a member of a hostile clan," said the blue-eyed noble, "Mitsuro, please tell me that this is your child! Ryuu…he…didn't…?"

"Oh…no Tetsuya! I know your memory is still a bit clouded, but Makoto has counteracted the drug Ryuu used, and soon you will remember that you were already pregnant and the baby is mine. I didn't let him touch you," said Mitsuro, "I couldn't stop him from drugging you or from hurting that friend of yours, but…"

"F-friend?" stammered Tetsuya, looking confused.

"Abarai Renji…Ryuu attacked him when you began resisting him and Renji attempted to interfere."

Tetsuya's face paled.

"Is…is Renji-san all right?" he asked worriedly.

Mitsuro lowered his eyes.

"He is alive and is not in danger of dying, but…"

"But what?" demanded Tetsuya, placing a hand on his abdomen and wincing as a pain passed through it.

"Tetsuya, you must try to stay calm. The drugs that Ryuu gave you were very dangerous, and you are still recovering."

"But…what happened to Renji-san? What…" Tetsuya panted, clutching his abdomen harder, "What did he do? You must tell me!"

Tetsuya froze as Makoto placed a hand on his shoulder and sent a gentle throb of kido through him. Mitsuro caught him gently and eased him back onto the pillows as Makoto shook his head disapprovingly.

"I am sorry for that," he told Mitsuro, "but he was becoming too agitated. You must keep him calm. The drugs your brother used are enough of a threat to anyone, but to one whose body is already taxed with supporting a growing reiatsu…"

"I will make sure he stays calm," Mitsuro said quietly, "But be honest with me. Did the drugs hurt our baby?"

Makoto's lips tightened for a moment.

"They do not appear to have, but it won't be certain for a few more days. The two of you can remain here for as long as you wish, of course. I will come to help care for him until he is well."

"You are aware of what you are risking by helping us," Mitsuro said in a low voice, "If my brother doesn't kill you if he finds out, the Gotei 13 and Tetsuya's clan will have their way with you for concealing a man suspected of a capital offense."

Makoto looked down at Tetsuya and nodded briefly.

"I will take that risk," he said quietly, "but perhaps you could tell me what happened?"

Mitsuro sighed and sat down next to his sleeping lover, taking Tetsuya's pale hand in his.

"It's stupid really," Mitsuro said softly, looking down at his lover's troubled face, "I knew better than to get involved with one of their clan members. But…one day, the Kuchiki council came to meet with ours and Tetsuya was attending his cousin. I had never laid eyes on him before, but when I did…and he looked back at me, it was like…it was as though the very floor had dropped out from under my feet. He was so handsome, Makoto! And he was quiet and shy, not at all like the others. I cornered him while council was meeting and he opened up a little. I told him before we parted ways that I felt something for him, and that if he returned my feelings, I would be at the Velvet Mist Dance Club the next night. I didn't expect at all that he would come to meet me…but he did. I only meant to dance with him and perhaps share a few kisses. Just that much, I thought, would be safe. But we ended up in one of the rooms there at the club, and we gave in to our desires that night. It wasn't supposed to happen, but we were drinking and abandoned caution. And a few weeks later, he told me that he had been impregnated during our joining."

Mitsuro touched Tetsuya's face and kissed him on the forehead.

"I knew that Tetsuya's clan would punish him, and that if my brother found out, he would punish me and hurt Tetsuya somehow. So…I planned for us to disappear. It grieved Tetsuya to think of leaving his family, but he knew better than to let them learn of his pregnancy. We agreed to meet at the club that night with our things packed. We were supposed to leave from there and never return. But…Ryuu somehow found out we were together there. Luckily for us, he did not know Tetsuya was pregnant. But the bastard found out we were seeing each other and he threatened to reveal it to Tetsuya's clan…unless we agreed for Tetsuya to spend the night with him before we left. I tried to refuse, but Ryuu ordered his attendants to beat me until I had learned my lesson. When my brother's attendants took hold of me and began hitting me, Tetsuya was afraid that they meant to kill me, and he told Ryuu to stop them. My brother asked him if that meant that he would agree to spend the night with him, and Tetsuya agreed that as long as he would then release us both unharmed and allow us to disappear together, he would go along with it. Ryuu had me held back and told Tetsuya to dance with him, which Tetsuya did. I think that Tetsuya's friend, Kuchiki taichou's fukutaichou, passed by the club and saw Tetsuya dancing with Ryuu, and Ryuu beginning to remove Tetsuya's clothes, there in front of everyone."

Mitsuro's voice failed him for a moment and he cleared his throat softly.

"He was going to have sex with my lover right there in that crowded club, where everyone could see. We were going to have to disappear without a trace and never allow ourselves to be found by either of our families after such a disgrace. But Abarai-san flew up the stairs and tore Tetsuya away from him. My brother told Tetsuya that if Abarai-san interfered, the deal was off, and that the two of us would never see each other again. Tetsuya shoved Abarai-san away and yelled at him to leave. But he wouldn't leave. My brother and his attendants waited until he was distracted trying to talk to Tetsuya and then attacked from behind and dragged him into one of the rooms. He forced Tetsuya to watch as he beat and sexually assaulted his 'protector,' then rendered Tetsuya unconscious and planted evidence on Abarai-san to make Tetsuya look guilty. He drugged them so that they would not remember, then he told me that if I wanted Tetsuya, he would have to follow through on spending the night with him first. I don't know what happened after that, except that I woke and couldn't remember things at first. But as things came back, I realized that Tetsuya was missing, and now wanted for beating and raping his own friend. I was afraid that Ryuu had killed him…and it looks like he tried to. Thank kami you found him, Makoto! I was worried sick about him!"

He looked back down at Tetsuya with worried eyes.

"But now that I have found him, I am not letting my brother find us again. As soon as he is strong enough, we are getting out of here. I won't let him hurt Tetsuya again…not ever!"

Makoto nodded.

"He should be well enough by tomorrow that you can leave with him. Just make sure that nothing disturbs his rest. He is very much at risk right now, of losing his child."

"I will," said Mitsuro, looking up at Makoto gratefully, "Thank you, Makoto. Thank you so much for keeping our secret!"

"Rest now," Makoto said, moving to the bedroom door, "I will make sure that no harm comes to you here."

Mitsuro smiled.

"You are a good friend," he said softly, "It is good to know that there are some among the family who recognize what a bastard he is. I don't know how I have made myself obey him all of these years! I was a fool, Makoto. If the price of opposing him was death, I should have been strong enough to face it long ago."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," the green-eyed shinigami said gently, "Ryuu is very cunning. I doubt anyone really knows the full lengths to which he will go. But you will be all right now. I am sure that once you are out of his reach, he will forget about the two of you quickly. And you and Kuchiki-san can start a new life together with your child."

Mitsuro smiled and nodded briefly, then slid into bed next to Tetsuya, watching as the healer left the room and closed the door. He had nearly drifted off when he heard Makoto's voice speaking softly through one of the house vents. Climbing out of bed, he moved closer, straining to hear.

Makoto left the bedroom and walked across the house to the living room and dropped down into a chair. He poured a glass of sake and lifted it with a hand that trembled softly.

_I hate this!_

_I hate myself._

_But if he finds out that I helped them, he will kill Gia and our children. The man is beyond ruthless and he wants to use Kuchiki Tetsuya against his cousin. He will stop at nothing…_

His hands shook harder as he flipped his phone open and dialed a number. He swallowed hard as the phone rang once, twice and a third time before someone picked up.

"It's Makoto," he said softly, "I have confirmed that the man I found at the hotel is Kuchiki Tetsuya. I lured Mitsuro here and they are sleeping."

"_Good," _said the voice on the other end, _"Very commendable."_

"Do you want me to knock them out?"

_"No, we will be there soon."_

"Ryuu, there is something you should know."

_"Hmmm?"_

"Kuchiki-san is pregnant."

There was a long silence.

_"I see. That makes sense of things. Keep them there. Do not allow them to leave. We are coming for them."_

Mitsuro backed away from the vent and moved back to the bed. He heard approaching footsteps and slipped back into bed, feigning sleep as Makoto looked in at them, then closed the door again. As the healer's footsteps faded, Mitsuro slowly brought Tetsuya awake.

"Wh-what is it? What is happening?" Tetsuya moaned softly.

"Tetsuya, we have to get out of here! Makoto has betrayed us. Watashi no koi, we must go to your cousin and tell him the truth about us. We will be punished, but perhaps I can convince your council to accept me as a refugee. They might…"

"N-no," Tetsuya said, shaking his head, "They won't listen. They would hurt you."

"But Makoto was the only one I knew I could trust!" whispered Mitsuro desperately, "Who can we go to?"

Tetsuya thought for a moment.

"There is a man in Karakura Town who is powerful enough. He is friends with my cousin, but he is not tied to clan rules as my cousin is and he will help us. I know he will."

"Then we must leave now," said Makoto, helping the blue-eyed noble to his feet, "I am sorry to do this when you should be resting, but Ryuu knows you are pregnant with my child now. Makoto told him. There is no chance now of fooling him into thinking the child is his so that he would protect you. He only wanted to spend the night with you to impregnate you as a way of using you against Byakuya. If he could have convinced the Kuchiki council that Byakuya knew and didn't say anything, he could have caused the Kuchiki council to remove Byakuya from leadership. That's all he really wanted all along. He doesn't care about what happens to you or me. He only cares about his own damned ambitions! He has always been that way!"

Mitsuro followed Tetsuya to the window. As Tetsuya slid the window open, a soft chime sounded, and Makoto's footsteps sounded in the hallway.

"Hurry!" exclaimed Mitsuro, following Tetsuya outside and hastily opening a senkaimon.

"Stop!" shouted Makoto as the two stepped into the precipice world.

Mitsuro looked back at him with devastated eyes.

"I trusted you…" he said sadly.

"I am sorry," Makoto said, lowering his eyes, "I deserve the fate that I will get for not stopping you, but…know that it was only because he threatened Gia and my children. I despise him."

"I know," answered Mitsuro, raising a hand and gathering his power, "but he will not harm them if it looks as though you tried to obey him and merely failed."

Makoto closed his eyes and did not move as Mitsuro's kido blast struck him and sent him crashing to the ground.

_I do not deserve your mercy._

_You are a better man than your brother will ever be._

_Thank you…Mitsuro._

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you certain that you don't remember anything else that might help us find him?" asked Byakuya, "Even something that might seem unrelated, but could shed some light."

"He is in a lot of trouble, ne?" asked Michio, glancing at Noa.

Noa returned his gaze solemnly and nodded briefly in agreement.

"Well," said the healer, "I do not know if it will help for you to know. And because it seemed private, we did not say anything before, but…Byakuya-san, your cousin is pregnant."

Byakuya's eyes widened and he caught his breath softly.

"Tetsuya is pregnant?" he asked softly, "Are you sure?"

"I am positive," said Michio, "I had to be careful in my treatment of the poison in his system, so as not to harm the developing reiatsu. And he was not in a fit state much of the time, so I do not know if he knew or not, but…he is definitely pregnant."

"Taichou," said Renji, "That might explain why he was angry that night. If he and Mitsuro were seeing each other and he became pregnant…"

"Tetsuya would have known then that all opportunities for forgiveness were gone. The clan rules are very clear that in that case, Tetsuya would be expelled from the clan."

"The poor thing," Noa said softly, "He is a gentle man, Byakuya-san. You would not allow him to come to harm, ne?"

Byakuya's eyes betrayed a fierce internal struggle, but he bit his lip gently and shook his head.

"No. I have no intention of letting on that I know. I only want to find him. From what you said, someone tried to kill him and left him in a reduced state. I will find Tetsuya, and then I will take him to safety. I will deal with all of the other questions once that is done."

Renji watched quietly as the internal fires continued to burn in Byakuya's eyes. They took their leave of the healer and his wife and stepped out into the street. Renji gazed at Byakuya's solemn face, then moved closer and touched his arm lightly. Byakuya turned his head and met the redhead's eyes questioningly.

"Tell me something," he said quietly, "What will happen if the clan elders learn that you knew Tetsuya was pregnant…and it turns out the kid is Mitsuro's?"

Byakuya let out a resigned sigh.

"Then Tetsuya will be expelled from the clan…his name unwritten from our house's records. None of the clan will be allowed to speak his name, nor help him in any way…on pain of death. The rules for such a betrayal are absolute."

Renji's eyes darkened with emotion.

"And you would risk this…for him? For your cousin? You must really love him, Taichou…to be so devoted."

Byakuya didn't answer, but only looked back at him silently. Renji moved closer and brought tentative fingers to the noble's porcelain cheek. Byakuya froze in place, staring into Renji's eyes like a frozen deer.

"I thought that I knew you, Taichou," Renji said quietly, "but all of this time…it's like you've been hiding yourself away from everyone. You work so hard at following the rules and setting an example…but inside, you have too much heart to let the ones you love be hurt. You protect Rukia…Tetsuya…and you protect me. And that makes me wonder. I know you love them, Taichou…and you have said that you very much respect me…but…is that where it ends? Or have I been overlooking something much deeper?"

Byakuya's hand rose and captured Renji's, and the deep gray eyes fixed him in place.

"I respect you as a fighter…and as a leader," he said softly, "but I would be lying if I told you that is where it ends. I don't think I realized what was happening, but I see it now. I think it has been there for some time."

He paused and kissed Renji's fingertips gently.

"But…you have endured too much. And there are things that must first be resolved. Then we can look into our hearts with opened eyes…and see what more is there."

He released Renji's hand, then inhaled sharply as Renji's arms wrapped around him and the redhead's mouth found his. He stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed in Renji's arms and returned the redhead's kisses tentatively. After several kisses, they pulled away from each other and stood, quietly looking into each others' eyes as the people around them blithely went about their business. Finally, Renji smiled.

"I'll be glad once we find Tetsuya and we get all of this straightened out. I am looking forward to getting to know you as you really are, Taichou."

Byakuya looked back at him, as stoic and quiet as ever.

"Come Renji," he said calmly, "We need to find my cousin."


End file.
